Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-08-25
In o short time tho ,,,,,...,..

In a short time the pursuit ~.
gun In real earnest, the men eo,s.; ss y
heartily into the chase as did SIe,iaga Msiga N
firing commander. 'ielf u n
But "a stern chasen is nror.., h
"a long chase" and here the b.oaay boala,a IS
the fullest verifcation of tbe Tss Ni, lia B
for two days and nights elapsed MI L., sls Il
they were near enough TO the euss eu,as 1
to discover, from various unmistslsSSl stsSl
signs, that he was not far in adpasasA daaasA
The chase now became fnr;ont
we scarcely spent the time reonira,I aa
making coffee and cooking other iais ~
around the campfire; for, nnw 'va
Colonel Streights motives dawpsd' 'la IN
on us, every nerve was bent to S tS.,s us
lis projects. 1'ss
Nor was it long before the p,co !,
gan to tell upon the horses in hss ~
commands. Especially was tbis Vya a
case with the horses ridden b, tha M as y.
emy, as they were not Injured to io,es. y,
marches, made on empty stomachs !.
were to some degree our horses ''
On reaching Blue River we v.,.
much chagrined to discover that ~
enemy had crossed before us and Inv ,s
fired the bridge, tho timbers Of wG.p
were falling into the stream when iIs
main body OF our already depleted toros
arrived.
AT this juncture n liiss W--.vbo,.
parents resided in the vicinity. came n
our rescue and offered to pilot ,ba
General to ford but short distancsss
above.
This offer was gladly accepted and
we crossed the stream in the face Of a
battery placed by the enemy to inter.
rupt our march.
Forcing the pas age, we compelled
the artillery to vacate their position,
and were soon in full chase, sweepinr
aside small detachments left by fla
enemy to retard our pursuit Of the
main force.
1t now became Of the most vital i'm.
portance that we should close with the
enemy at the earliest moment, for our
command had dwindlcd down to mere
handful.
The enemy felt the necessity of press
ing on, and if possible to gain few
hours in which the work OF destruction
might be completed, So he hurr ed on
every short distance being marked b,
a spent horse or some other evidence
of his mad ride; while the route passe,
over by Forrest was marked by dea
horses and-sleeping troopers!
Our force was now reduced to abou
seven hundred men, and, if the chas
continued, we could not hope to rea.
Rome with more than one-half of til,
number---a force much too small
cope with Colonel Streight's sixtee
hundred under ordinary cir umstance
But we reflected that the enemy ha
no means of learning accurately ho
rapidly our force was being disint
grated; and we pressed on, trustil
that demonstration would be madel
the militia, homo guards, etc. (whit
we knew would repait to the defens
in front of Rome). whereby the enen
would be delayed until we came |
with him.
AL this time scouts from Ron
warned Colonel Streight that he mig
expect in his front hostile force
some strength, no matter how mad
quate it might be to do more than a
noy him; and he felt that it behoov
him to move with the utmost circu,
spection, for but small mistake NJ
would be the uudoing of him.
In the meantime many of Colon
Streights command, singly and in tw
and threos, Lad been picked up at t.
farm houses.
All of them claimed inability
keep up" as there were no ext
horses with the command; and til
the country people had at last learn
of their approach, and had "run
everything but few cows-and y
know, Captain, we can't ride cows"
These prisoners were left in char
of such members of our own commal
as could mot keep up nor ride COWS
we feeling assured that if our boys
go to sleep, their prisoners We're t
much iaded to attempt to retrace (
paths over which they had reached IL
section of country, and could be pick
up on our return toward the Tenness
River.
Colonel Streight was at last broug
to stand by the appearance of f,
array of men at-all-arms in
front, as well as a heavy pressure
our decimated troop in his rear
Here General Forrest played one
his boldest games; for. keeping
force well in hand, he sent forward
flag and demanded Colonel Streigh
surrender; and upon receiving
murrer from the gallant Colonel,
General gave orders for such dispo
tion of his imaginary regiments
would completely surround the enel
and cut off all hope of escape.
Believing TINT he was surrounded
a largely superior force, Color
Streight surrendered, and was escort
into Rome by the remnant of Genel
Forests command, not more than fc
hundred troops, all told.
Thus was daring scheme, brillis
in conception, thwarted on the ve
threshold of success, by combinati
OF circumstances. 1t is difficult m
ter for forcesto be moved hurried
through an enemy's country, me
particularly if Forrest pursues.
Colonel Streight was much MOI
fled at being compelled to surrent
to force SO small compared to
own; but he had the satisfaction
knowing that he had done his be
and the manliness to acknowled
that he had been outridden ana OF
generated. Chicago Ledger.